2804, 2011
Grapevine Sales Team Trip: California
I just got back from California with some of the Grapevine sales team. What a trip! We started out by heading to Point Reyes with Rich Marino from Cartlidge [...]
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Ample at its core with flavors of cherry flambé, Oaxacan chocolate and roasted hazelnut. Tremendous depth leads to a long and unstinting finish. -
With a color that is dark as night, and flavors to match, this wine will surely impress. This wine is aromatically concentrated with notes of blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, and more subtle undertones of vanilla, spice, and herbs. Rich red and black fruit flavors, integrated tannins, and great acidity lead to an extraordinary texture and lingering finish. Consider pairing this wine with olives, braised beef shanks, or dark chocolate. Enjoy now or cellar for up to 10 years. -
Purple, black color, scents of black currants in promising nose, sweet Cabernet fruit on nose, flavors of Seville orange and intense Cabernet fruit flavors, cranberry sweetness with good acidity, solid finish, balanced and refreshing. -
Mount Eden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux-style blend of approximately 75% Cabernet, 22% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, although the seepage varies by vintage. This high mountain, cool coastal vineyard is an unusual site for California Cabernet Sauvignon, reflecting its refreshing acidity and moderate alcohol. Fine integrated tannins buttress characteristic flavors of red currant, blackberry and earth. Recommended cellaring is ten to fifteen years. -
From 1973 to 1982, Walter Schug made some of the most memorable Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux-style blends in California history as the founding winemaker for Joseph Phelps Vineyards. His own Bordeaux blend exhibits the same finesse, intensity and ability to age that have made his earlier wines valuable collectors items. Cabernet Sauvignon from the valley floor and Carneros Merlot compliment the well structured fruit from Rancho Salina, a volcanic soil vineyard high above the Sonoma Valley in the southern end of the Mayacamas Mountains. It has dense color and structure, bright aromas of violets and blueberries, and ripe fruit flavors reminiscent of cherries, chocolate and cassis. Well-integrated tannins, oak and acidity give it a rich texture and a long, elegant finish. It drinks well on release paired with rich meats and cheeses, and will reward cellaring for 10 or more years. -
Schug's Heritage Reserve Merlot is blended in the Bordeaux tradition using Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon for maximum complexity. The Merlot is sourced from the cool Carneros region, where the extremely long growing season allows this varietal to ripen slowly, developing maximum varietal character and depth of flavor while retaining bright acidity. It has a spicy bouquet of lavender and mint, rich deep color and full-bodied flavors of cherry, cassis and chocolate. Try it now with lamb, duck and rich cheeses, or age it for 5 to 7 years. -
This classically structured Merlot is crafted in the Bordeaux style that Walter Schug pioneered in California while wine master of Joseph Phelps Vineyards (1973 to 1983). The Merlot grapes were grown on the Sangiacomo Vineyard in the Carneros district of southern Sonoma Valley. This cooler microclimate provides the longer growing season necessary for Merlot to ripen slowly and develop maximum flavor. Added complexity comes from a blending judicious amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grown on the Rancho Salina and Horne vineyards farther north in Sonoma Valley. It has a spicy bouquet, deep color and exhibits full-bodied flavors of cherry, blackberry and spice. Try it now with grilled fish, pasta, lamb and steaks, or cellar it for 5 to 7 years. -
Done in a bracing, sappy style, this is a concentrated wine with lush flavors of lemon drop, orange candy and Key lime. It’s ripe and juicy. - Filled with lovely aromas of sweet cherry and a hint of toast, this fresh, medium-bodied wine offers bright acidity across the palate before finishing with a delicious spice and wild huckleberry.
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A complex red blend with inviting blackberry, rhubarb and red currant aromas on the nose. The rich palate highlights developed Bing cherry and plum fruit rounded out with spice notes. Velvety tannins lead to a wonderful finish with lingering fruit. - Deceptively sweet aromas of strawberries, raspberries and rose petals. The flavors are dark, rich, lusciously mouthwatering, with cherries, boysenberries, tart plum skins, hints of leather, sweet pipe tobacco, and coffee beans. The tannins are firm, but not a bit edgy and the finish lingers with just a touch of anise. A truly lovely vintage.
- Aromas of black cherry with underlying notes of toasted warm coffee and cassis. A touch of cedar folds seamlessly into a rich opulent black fruit core. Layers of oak build texture and offer a firm mid-palate. The velvety long finish is filled with red fruit and currants.
- The practice of blending more than one variety of wine has been practiced in Europe for centuries and is the basis for this Cab-Shiraz. This full-bodied, yet very approachable blend is loaded with flavors of blackberries, cherries, currants, and plums; with a lengthy finish and just a hint of oak.
- Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were sourced from great Cabernet vineyards in premium South Eastern Australian wine regions, including McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Clare Valley and the Limestone Coast, where brilliant sun and ancient soils do their best. Excellent fruit from excellent growing areas has made it easy for winemaker, Ben Riggs and his team to produce a full and flavorsome wine, deep-hued with lifted aromatics and a structured but supple palate. Smooth, rich and generously loaded with mulberries, black cherries and spice on the palate, the finish is long lasting, delicious, dense and fruit-packed. With tannins enhancing the tastes and richness of food, this is a perfect red meat or pasta accompaniment.
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The Russian River Valley is an appellation with varying climates and soils. Hook & Ladder’s Los Amigos Vineyard sits in the warmer northeastern section of the appellation. - Roasted red berry and plum aromas carry the bouquet to a tannic, grabby palate with red fruit flavors and herbal shadings. Feels better on the finish, with tangy red fruit and nothing offensive.